iPhone 5 on Tesco Network

Tesco Mobile provide an alternative to using a mainstream network. The iPhone 3GS pay as you go deal (online only) was the cheapest and still remains the cheapest way to buy an iPhone contract free.

Tesco have a number of incentives for their loyal customers. You can earn Club Card Points when you top-up. Your mobile number is linked to your Tesco store card. Tesco mobile users get exclusive offers in text messages. The best incentive is the triple top-up reward, so when you top-up £10 you actually get £30 credit. Although don't get carried away, as the amount of triple credit is restricted to a maximum of £40 per month, thereafter you won't get triple-credit until the monthly anniversary date by which time you must top-up by to qualify the following month. The other big plus happens to be the Unlimited Internet 3G data. Incidentally there is no way to track how much 3G Internet an iPhones uses, apps have been released, but all score low reviews, dogged by glitches say the reviewers. The iPhone counters do not tally when being tethered for a bandwidth comparison, was one complaint.

Cheap and cheerful prices are where the fun stops. Getting through to talk to someone on Tesco Mobile with an iPhone is a nightmare. Each time you call, you must listen to what feels like at least 3 minutes of Tesco Marketing. She is a charming lady straight out of the 1930s, but when you listen to the same info over-and-over it is most annoying. All the helpful customer service numbers divert to the Automated Top-Up service, unmanned. You have to call from another telephone, it's the only way to avoid "sorry all of our advisors are busy or we are experiencing higher than normal calls" messages when you need to talk to Customer care.

In a nutshell, this is the major disappointments. Reception is poor. For example in Wiltshire I drove for 10 miles without service. Malvern and Worcestershire were the same, no service. Tesco Mobile uses the O2 Network or perhaps the left over part of it. Often text messages would arrive 12 hours later, telephone calls were often missed, diverted to unavailable when the phone did have a good signal whilst sat at home. Other annoyances include the Credit pop-ups, every time a message is sent saying how much credit is remaining, which can't be gotten rid of. Also the whole system is confusing, the iPhone is showing no credit, because it's using the free triple credit, then when you check your balance its showing £20 free credit, but can't be used when you try due to restrictions - conditions on number prefixes for premium and free rate numbers etc etc.

One interesting fact I noticed about iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4s is they struggle for reception when tested whilst being sat beside a friend with another type of mobile phone on the same network.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is always explicitly stated in details as it is easily confused. Wi-Fi is free and unlimited to all iPhones within reach of an Internet access point, regardless of your provider. BT-Openzone is an additional Wi-Fi network service to connect to the Internet which is bundled in offers with iPhone contract plans.

Tesco has no system to unlock iPhones. Customer care provided me a PAC code and NUC code, the NUC code turned out not to work. Once you are in, there's no escape. Tesco Mobile quoted they have no facility to unlock the phone during the first 12 months of Pay Go ownership; if they couldn't or wouldn't it amounts to the same thing Jail-breaking. Jail-breaking is not endorsed by mobile providers, but it's the only way to switch to a better service. Afterwards the Tesco Mobile SIM is unusable.

Finally, the cost. Is the low online price worth it? Online price being the operative word because in-store prices are considerably more, and it matters throughout ownership. Call charges are reasonable, 20p per minute and 10p per SMS text message. Picture messages cost 25p per MMS. Today a 16GB iPhone 4 on Tesco Mobile costs £19 on a 24 month contract at £45 per month (Total price £1099). In fairness the final verdict is No. Overall it is a poor service in many respects compared to other Operators.

Visit Tesco Mobile iPhone shop

Written on 5th September 2010